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CASSOPOLIS — Cass County is preparing to deal with fallout resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Monday, over a public telephone conference due to social distancing mandates that ban in-person gatherings, the Cass County Board of Commissioners voted to approve a resolution to respond to the pandemic. The decision moves all county employees deemed non-essential workers off county payroll, instead allowing those non-essential employees — and essential employees who qualify for special consideration — to transition to alternative options for income and benefits provided by federal law, state orders, collective bargaining agreements and county policies. The resolution allows for sick leave bank sharing and paid time off sharing to give employees additional flexibility.

The resolution also implements a hiring freeze and details that all capital purchases must be evaluated for delay.

According to the resolution, the special provisions allowed by the vote will remain in effect indefinitely and will be regularly reviewed as to ongoing need and impact.

The resolution was approved 6-1, with district five Commissioner Robert Benjamin being the sole no vote.

County Administrator Jeff Carmen said the resolution was put forth as the county, like all employers, was required by the state to designate essential and non-essential employees and functions to restrict movement and viral exposure.

“These are really tough times. We have taken great steps to ensure medical and other benefits for our employees,” Carmen said. “Employees are the government’s greatest resource. I think we all want to see this pandemic resolved as soon as possible, so we can return to normal, whatever that looks like, as soon as possible.”

In addition to being a response to state mandates, there was a financial aspect to the resolution.

Cass County Finance Director Becky Moore estimates that there will be a $1.7 million to $2 million loss in revenue for the county due to the pandemic. The loss comes from a reduction in state aid, dues and fees, local revenue, and revenue from organizations that use county services, such as Southwestern Michigan College or the Cass County Council on Aging.

While Moore said the county was looking at all places in the budget to cut back and adjust for the loss of revenue — including the freeze on hiring and capital purchases — employees make up 66 percent of the budget and needed to be considered.

Carmen and Moore expect between 60 and 70 of the county’s 191 employees will be deemed non-essential, representing $61,000 per week.

Moore said there were several options available to employees deemed non-essential, including expanded paid time off, expanded Family and Medical Leave Act, and some may qualify for retirement. Many employees will be looking at furloughs, which, unlike a layoff, continues the employer-employee relationship and continues all benefits, including health insurance.

“We are going to have to look at the individual and see what the best outcome for each person is,” Moore said.

While no employees have yet been furloughed, Carmen said he would be meeting with department heads this week to determine which employees and functions are essential or non-essential.

Several county employees tuned in to Monday’s teleconferenced meeting and spoke during public comment seeking clarification on the resolution and expressing disappointment.

Friend of the Court employee Chelsea Olkowski said the options provided by the county for non-essential employees to continue to have an income “fell short of acceptable,” while fellow Friend of the Court employee Fern Smith told commissioners that the time employees spend waiting for unemployment to kick in could cause significant financial distress for their families.

“This pandemic is no fault of the employees, and we should not be punished as a result,” Olkowski said.

Though she did not speak during public comment, Patty Dohm, a county employee, wrote a letter to the board of commissioners that was read aloud during the meeting.

“I’m  sure the thought process will be that it is nothing personal to layoff the non-essential employees, but for the employees forced to do so, it will be very personal,” she wrote. “I have worked for Cass County for 35 years, always putting my job first. … I know what will be lost by the layoffs. Some of us who can barely keep our proverbial nose above the water will not be able to financially make it, especially those of us who only have one source of income.”

Carmen said he understood county employees’ reactions, adding that administrators and elected officials would be continually evaluating what best practices should be as more information comes from the state regarding COVID-19 mandates.

“This is an impact beyond what we have seen before,” he said. “In our community, in our state, thousands have lost jobs. Businesses are closing, and I think the way forward remains to be understood and seen.”